BOSTON (WHDH) - A Boston Police Department investigation concluded that a police officer did not use excessive force on a pedestrian on Boylston Street back in May.
Witnesses said back in May, off-duty Officer Edward Barrett was in a personal car and making a right turn onto Arlington Street from Boylston Street. Pedestrian Milton Gurin was in the crosswalk at the time and witnesses said he hit the back window of Barrett’s car with his umbrella, apparently upset at the officer making a turn while he was crossing the street.
Initials reports claimed Barrett tackled Gurin and slammed his face into the ground. Boston Police Commissioner William Evans said video from two cellphones and surveillance video from Boylston Street shows Gurin tripped and fell and did not get his face shoved into the ground. Evans said witnesses to the incident confirmed this.
Evans said Barrett believed Gurin had broken his window with the umbrella. He also said the department began the investigation on their own, as the pedestrian never filed a complaint and took five weeks to speak with police about it.
Gurin’s attorney Carl Williams said Barrett just had to look at his window and see it was not broken instead of chasing his client. Williams would not comment on whether a civil suit would be filed but said they are exploring all their options.
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